I want to buy a bed for my dog and I wanted to ask how to chose the right size relative to the size of the dog. Also, maybe you have some advice on which kinds of beds are better? What do your dogs have?
Till now my dog had a rather thin blanket, but it's lying on a tile floor. So I started to think that it could be unhealthy, am I right?

jessi76

October 25th, 2006, 03:50 PM

it might help to tell us what type of dog you have - size, breed, age, etc...

my mom's dog (brittany) has a large LL Bean round bed - and loves it. I am thinking of getting the same type for my own dog (basenji-x).

bed size REALLY depends on the size of the dog. and a thin blanket isn't unhealthy for a dog - some older dogs may be more comfortable on cushioned surfaces because of soreness, thick coated breeds may prefer thin blankets, or nothing at all - dogs w/ little to no fur may prefer the warmth of cuddly fleece, and a puppy would probabaly SHRED a dog bed... etc.. really depends on breed, size, and age.

Caite

October 25th, 2006, 05:01 PM

I have two dogs. My little JRT likes the cave-like feeling of a dog bed with sides to sleep in. Since she sleeps in a tiny ball, it's not much larger than she is. My big JRT is on a kingly pile of firm pillows and blankets (I have far less human blankets than i used to... the dogs have taken over all of them!!!) which he likes to muck up until they are just right. The whole pile is much larger than he *needs* but he likes stretching out.

We have laminate floors which are hard and cold, so I have a few flat fairly thick (2" or so) dog beds strewn around the house for lounging comfort where ever the dogs may choose to nap. We have an outdoor (waterproof) bed on the wooden deck so that the big JRT (who has a touch of arthritis) doesn't get so sore as he surveys the backyard.

All of the beds are just filled with some type of synthetic fiber. I've never actually seen a dog that will lay on a cedar chip bed.

Man. I've never described all the dog beds together before. My dogs are insanely spoiled :)

But then again, I had a golden retriever who never had a dog bed. Well, we would buy them for her, but she hated all of them, so, in my opinion, it's really up to the dog what kind of bed they like.

Nausicaa

October 25th, 2006, 07:01 PM

Oh, she's a husky and she's 6.5 years old. So she has a lot of fur :)
Thing is, as I said she now sleeps on tile floor, so I'm worried she might catch a cold.
PS bassenjis are super cute!
well, actually, jack russels too :)

meb999

October 25th, 2006, 07:57 PM

Just like humans don't all like the same type of bed, same with dogs. Buster doesn't like bean-bag-beds or blanket on the floor. I got him a thick foam bed and he looooves it. I actually just threw out his old one and MADE him a new one (with removeable lining, so you can thrown it in the wash). I recomend something thick and mushy :cloud9:

Prin

October 25th, 2006, 10:54 PM

Cardboard! All the way! Just kidding. :D

My doggies sleep on Costco beds usually (if not on our bed or sofas).

mummummum

October 25th, 2006, 11:43 PM

Well, let's see the dogs have a kingsize waterbed, a nine foot velvet couch-bed, a six foot ultrasuede loveseat-bed ...ohhhhh, you mean real dogbeds. We tried a youth air mattress, huge-mungous floor cushions, a crib/toddler mattress ~ all of which they walked over and around to get to the couch, loveseat etc. Now, I have a kingsize down duvet folded into a large square as well as an extra large Woolrich bed. And my winter project is a making a bed for Ceili ~ Ultrasuede cover over either memory foam or a gel mattress.

Some dawgs like to be snuggled up with sides around the bed (den-like I guess) but since I have fairly thick broadloom now I figured my gang would overheat. I strongly recommend you get a good quality high density foam mattress or thick fibrefill (or a combination) rather than the bean bag style. Denim is a good choice for durability and it's washable but ultrasuedes and microsuedes have a better "look" (in my livingroom anyway). Most Ultrasuede and microsuedes can be spot cleaned with soap and water and many are machine washable (I swear I have become the world's leading expert on ultra and microsuedes since looking for material with which to reupholster my love seat and chairs:frustrated: ). If you are thinking denim, you might want to think white as it can be bleached. There is another product (Flex-gel) out on the market suitable for dogs with ortho problems or whom might be prone to pressure sores. It's a gel-type mattress with a honeycomb core and the whole thing is machine washable but it's not inexpensive.

Even if you aren't a dabhand with the sewing machine, they are really easy to make (it's a box = straights seams and a zipper) and much less expensive, even with top-dollar materials.

LibbyP

October 25th, 2006, 11:59 PM

We have acouple different beds around for the critters. Hoover is a curl up in a ball kinda guy so he likes a bed with sides, even on a foam square bed he curls up. Now our big girl (all 140+lbs) of her is flat out there is no curl to her sleeping:frustrated: which made finding a bed for her quite a challenge(I like their head a bum to be on) when my youngest moved into his big boy bed we moved the crib mattress with a sheet and a pillow down to the floor for her and she LOVES IT that's what we use for her in the bedroom, now downstairs I have found her a really nice feather bed that she loves as well and her whole body fits:cloud9: Good luck in your search for the perfect bed.

jessi76

October 26th, 2006, 08:30 AM

Oh, she's a husky and she's 6.5 years old. So she has a lot of fur :)
Thing is, as I said she now sleeps on tile floor, so I'm worried she might catch a cold.

I don't think a husky will ever "catch a cold" by laying on a tile floor. your dog may actually prefer the coolness of the floor. my dog has a lazy-boy chair w/ a fleece blanket in my livingroom, it's HIS chair. besides sleeping in his crate, or in bed with us, he chooses to lay on the chair (and sometimes share it)

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e208/jesss456/tuckerlu.jpg

vfrohloff

October 26th, 2006, 09:07 AM

Hey Jessi, your cat doesn't look too impressed! :D I have 3 large comforters for my big doggies. They like to sleep together so I layer the comforters one on top of another to make one big fat fluffy bed. They also like to nest in it, they dig around and make it the way they like it. It's also super easy to clean, just throw them in the washing machine. I picked mine up at garage sales and secondhand shops. I think I paid about $30 in total for all 3 comforters.

jessi76

October 26th, 2006, 09:24 AM

Hey Jessi, your cat doesn't look too impressed! :D

yeah, she missed the memo that it's Tucker's chair. I also use old comforters too! I have one in each of Tucker's crates - folded up. those are GREAT!

Lissa

October 26th, 2006, 12:02 PM

Dog beds don't really work in this house either.:o Its all about the people bed or chairs...
He kicks me out of my chair and I sit on the floor with his dog bed as my cushion SO I am thinking that "we" need a huge "dog" bed fit for a human with memory foam LOL

Dogder likes the height the chair gives him so I want to make him a bed like this:
http://www.petaroo.com/PhotoGallery.asp?ProductCode=SNHPF1004

Nausicaa

October 26th, 2006, 04:36 PM

That's funny with the cardboard box, Prin :-)
Unfortunately (or fortunately?:-)) I can't let her up the sofa. I have nothing aginst it generally, so i did "invite" her once, several months after we took her. Same night she "marked" this sofa (Yes, she peed on it :eek:. Shocking, as generally she's pretty well behaved). I guess it was about leadership, and of course after this incident we taught her the "go to your place" command and nothing like this happened ever again. I guess she was never allowed on the sofa or bed by her previous owners, so the fact that we let her was a like saying "you are the leader" for her. So now, really she needs to have a good place :-)
I was worried about catching a cold because she had a nasty urinary infection. Somehow I was under the impression that those are related to sleeping on a cold floor. Maybe it's just superstition, I'll ask the veterinarian about it.
Thanks for all the advice, I'll probably start searching from the nearby pet shop :-)

Prin

October 26th, 2006, 04:59 PM

Oh, btw, the costco ones have washable linings and are about $30 for a huge one. Wayyy cheaper than the ones at petstores, and costco is usually really flexible about bringing stuff back if you don't like it.:)

ByronsMum

October 26th, 2006, 07:49 PM

Dogder likes the height the chair gives him so I want to make him a bed like this:
http://www.petaroo.com/PhotoGallery.asp?ProductCode=SNHPF1004

oooooooohhhH!! Fancy!

Paula69

October 26th, 2006, 08:07 PM

I think it all depends on the type of personality, Zeppelin my 1 female ShepX seems to say "I Don't...lay on the floor", in a real snooty way when asked to lay on bed for sleeping, she doesn't mind during the day, or when asked for training, but if I ask her to actually SLEEP on her expensive, cushy, cotton covered, synthetic filled dog bed, she looks so undignified and appalled. Her favourite is to sleep on a patio chair, or other chair available, I think she feels superior or safer? higher up, even when camping, she wouldn't sleep on her dog bed I brought for nothing, she had to sleep in a camp fold-up chair, then she was happy...weird.she's quite the elegant, refined type though. Odd times she likes to sleep under the chair, I think that's when she's scared or worried though. Ramsey, male ShepX is much more easy to please, he loves sleeping on HIS bed at night, infact he likes it so much that whenever possible he takes hers over too, and uses both. Ramsey doesn't care about anything other than making me happy, so he'll sleep wherever I ask him. However, when I wake up in the morning, they both look happiest cuddled up w/ me in my bed. Get a King sized bed, then your dog will very happy!

Frenchy

October 26th, 2006, 08:11 PM

Oh, btw, the costco ones have washable linings and are about $30 for a huge one. Wayyy cheaper than the ones at petstores, and costco is usually really flexible about bringing stuff back if you don't like it.:)

Do they stay fluffy for a long time?

Prin

October 26th, 2006, 08:21 PM

hmm... I dunno about "fluffy"... It depends on the dog.. Jemma's bed is still fluffy (bought it in early spring) but Boo's flattened out pretty quickly. The covers are durable though, so you can just refill them...:o

OntarioGreys

October 28th, 2006, 12:38 AM

I have gotten over the years a few different beds over the years I have had big, medium and small. Right now have 2 greyhounds an eskie and a chinese crested, 2 of my dogs are seniors

Older dogs and larger breeds really benefit by having a good bed that provides good support. Sunny is not allowed on my bed because he has back problem and a formerly broken leg due to the risk of jumping down and injuring himself, he likes the couch but I noticed even there are times he has trouble getting on and off of it, when he is sore he will use dog bed instead. so he needs a good bed. Maya my other grey is allowed on my bed, she is the only one allowed only because she was so fearful and submissive I needed a means to help with bonding and make myself appear less threatening and dominant to he, but even now every once in a while she jumps down wrong and gets a mild sprain, in a couple years or maybe sooner if she starts having joint problems she will no longer be allowed up either. I have about 12 dogs beds a couple in the van the rest scattered around the house, I have bought commercially made beds from $20 for small beds to $150 for bigger beds and have not be really happy with any, so now just slowly replacing with ones I have made myself there is a place near me that makes custom foam so it allows me to experiment to see come up with a hard wearing bed for my crazy compulsive nester Sunny who will spend as much as half an hour nesting before laying down to go to sleep probably in total 2 hours a day is simply spent nesting :rolleyes:

Poly filled beds like the Costco type are nice and cushy but mat down very quickly, while fluffy I have noted problems though , it it nice for laying in but the fiber moves or rolls as the dog gets in and out of the bed, for dogs with longer legs it can cause unexpected balance shifting which can cause the dog to stumble or legs to go into directions they shouldn't so can result in mild strains, and for older dogs with joint problems(spinal, shoulder, hip and leg) and arthritis the getting on and off these beds can actually create added problems sort of like walking on ice and slipping. and I have watched my older boy with the bad back slip and stumble and my younger greyhound in a rush to move has fallen trying to get out of the bed. Once the bed mats down they provide securing footing but they are lumpy and not as comfortable for laying on which mean Sunny is even doing more nesting then . I find them okay for smaller short legged breeds with good joint health but after about 6 months to a year they have flatten so you either leave as is restuff or replace. So over a ten to 12 years life of a pet you might be spending $600 to on this type of bed, some of the more expensive polyfilled beds will have baffles which prevent the polyfil from moving to much and matting these beds will cost around $200 and upwards. but unless the cover is waterproof they will absorb moisture and odors over time.

Orthobeds use egg crate foam, I have found them to be better, but after a while they start to compress as well. the foam used is a lower density and doesn't have the rebounce, so you have a permanent sag in the center for a dog over 50 lbs I would recommend at least 6" thick probably good for 5 years tops and then the foam starts to disintegrate, they are about a $100 to $200 for the larger sized beds so you are still looking at spending $600 on beds for a lifetime. If you want an orthobed it is much cheaper to go to Walmart in the bedding department and buy a mattress egg crate foam topper and make your own slip cover if your sewing skills are not the great velcro can be used instead of sewing in a zipper.

Many of the flat foam beds using the same density foam as the egg crate so again good for only 5 years many are priced the same as orthobed
The thing I don't like is with the bigger heavier dogs is they bottom out since they are not really dense enough to support their weight

When I decided to recover my furniture a couple years ago I had purchased some 6 " upholstery foam which is used in sofa seating this is about twice the density and has a much longer lifespan than foam pet beds . if you can find an re-upholstery place should be able to pick up a piece 30 X 48 X 6" for roughly $75 for a firm support depending where you buy, because the foam is denser they don't bottom out these higher quality denser foams will last 20 years, and with a re-upholstery shop you can ask about making covers for it if you are no into sewing , a good idea would be to have a waterproof cover made to protect the foam from moisture and body oils, dirt, and micro-organisms or fleas from getting into the foam and then over that an upholstery cover that is removable so it can be washed as needed, they often have a very large selection of fabrics that would allow you to match to your own homes decor as well and you would have a dog bed that is going to outlast by a long shot even the most expensive dog bed you can find at petsmart which are around $200 for a large bed. You may have to replace the cover a couple of times but the rest of the bed will remain good and may very well last you 2 dog lifetimes.

mummummum

October 28th, 2006, 12:55 AM

Have you looked at these OG?
http://as-seen.bizhosting.com/flexgel_luxury_pet_bed.html
The pads themselves are not awfully thick ~ I'm seriously thinking about this for Ceili as she's not good with wobbly surfaces either and it might provide better support to her dysplasiac hips than memory foam.

OntarioGreys

October 28th, 2006, 03:59 AM

Interesting wonder what it is like for walking on if it would bother their toes, the 2" thickness does make is easier for a wobbly dog to get on and off it. If you get let us know what you think of it

The memory foam which is different than upholstery foam I would not use for a dog that has wobbly on their legs especially if it's thick too much give/sinking which can throw them off balance and can make it hard for them to get up from a laying down position.